VitraHaus Essay

2025, June 8 - June 14,

The VitraHaus is a unique example of modern architecture where it portrays the complex structures on the exterior, while still being able to create a familiar feel inside. The idea was to stack 12 similar gable type buildings in inconsistent angles, and ultimately forming a pyramid. According to Swiss architect Jacques Herzog, the form was inspired to be intimate but also informal. It was designed to blend with the environment of Basel and it stretches the idea of a suburban home into a more complex experience. However, the VitraHaus faced structural challenges. Because each type of building is a gable, stacking on top of a vertex is physically impossible. This was fixed by strategically merging the buildings together and creating a much more compact overall structure. The intersecting sections would be made an open space for a smooth transitioning interior. Tie bars would also be used to stabilize because it allows for the structure to handle these imbalances while being integrated under the flooring. Upon first impression, the idea seems odd and quite unnecessary. It astonishes me how the interior opens up new perspectives, instead of the singular experience of a traditional house. For example, intersecting quarters of the building accounts for a balcony to increase the view between the two volumes and separating one from the other. The VitraHaus also has an interesting story of its exterior. At night, the monochrome walls are hidden as if the darkness fades the building away. This is important to the design because the gable windows are the only visible element of the VitraHaus. It gives a familiar view of a suburban neighborhood which further mutes the complicated design. Therefore, the VitraHaus shares a theme of day and night, contrasting the tangled feeling when viewed in light but successfully accommodating the same coziness of a normal house.